Crown Center Announces Schedule of Events August 2011- August 2012

May 28 - September 5 Rainforest Adventure exhibitCrown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. A multisensory expedition that introduces children to tropical rainforests around the world. The exhibit features 40 interactive components, including computer games, a 9-foot kapok tree, gorilla blind and a station to color your own unique insects. Children role-play as research assistants as they explore and learn about the rainforest and its ecological wonders. On loan from Stepping Stones Museum for Children of Norwalk, Ct. Open during Crown Center Shops regular hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday - Wednesday & Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday & Friday; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. Open noon to 5 p.m. on Labor Day. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

June 21 - August 7 The WizThe Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Celebrate the power of believing in yourself with this Tony award-winning musical based on the tale we all know by heart, with soaring songs: "Ease on Down the Road," "Brand New Day," "No Bad News," "Be a Lion!" Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

July 8 - August 21 The Honky Tonk AngelsAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. The creator of Always...Patsy Cline combines more than 30 classic country tunes with a hilarious story about three gutsy gals determined to follow their dreams to Nashville. The song list includes 9 to 5, Stand by Your Man, Rocky Top and I Will Always Love You. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

August 1 Musical Theater Heritage's Musical MondayOff Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. It's a traditional day off in the theater world but many singers drop in anyhow for one of Musical Theater Heritage's cabaret nights. Tickets are just $17. 816-221-6987 or MTHKC.com.

August 5 Friday Night Concert- Clint BlackCrown Center Square. Country legend Clint Black performs a Friday Night Concert at Crown Center. Black has scored more than 30 singles on the U.S. Billboard country charts, 22 of which have reached Number One. He was the Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year in 1990 and the Academy of Country Music's Top Male Vocalist in 1989. Black has also acted in film and on television. Show begins at 8 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is $5, at the gate. All seating is general admission. 816-274-8444.

August 6 Clown DayCrown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Crown Center becomes "Clown Center" for this all-smiles event. Bring the kids and see performances by area clown groups that will tickle your funny bone. Enjoy balloon animals, face painting and general clowning around from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stage show from noon to 1 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

August 11-28 EvitaOff Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Musical Theater Heritage. Eva Peron was a second rate actress, but when her lover, Colonel Juan Peron, becomes elected president she becomes First Lady of Argentina and wins the hearts of the entire population. This fantastic musical won seven Tony Awards in 1980. Tickets will be available at 816-842-9999 or MTHKC.com .

August 12 Friday Night Concert- Five For Fighting Crown Center Square. Five For Fighting performs a Friday Night Concert at Crown Center. Five For Fighting (the stage name of singer-songwriter John Ondrasik) first landed on the U.S. charts in 2000 with the hit song "Superman." Since then, other hit singles have included "100 Years," "The Riddle," and "Chances." Show begins at 8 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is $5, at the gate. All seating is general admission. 816-274-8444.

September 2-4 Kansas City Irish Fest Crown Center Square and Off Center Theatre. Commemorate Kansas City's proud Celtic heritage with three days of music, dancing and exhibits. The festival will feature more than two dozen locally and nationally known bands, playing traditional music and Celtic rock. Off Center Theatre will host Irish comics. $5 Friday tickets. $10 advance Saturday or Sunday tickets, $15 at the gate on Saturday/Sunday, $25 advance three-day tickets. Festival hours: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. 816-997-0837 or KCIrishFest.com.

September 9 - October 23 Nobody Lonesome For Me: A Hank Williams play with musicAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. A Kansas City premiere. It's New Year's Eve 1952 and country music legend Hank Williams is stranded at a gas station. During this fateful night, Hank shares his wit, his stories and his music, including "So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Ramblin' Man" and "Your Cheatin' Heart." Starring Matthew Brumlow, who is reprising his much-lauded role as Hank Williams. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

September 12 Musical Theater Heritage's Musical MondayOff Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. It's a traditional day off in the theater world but many singers drop in anyhow for one of Musical Theater Heritage's cabaret nights. Tickets are just $17. 816-221-6987 or MTHKC.com.

September 13 - October 9 The Outsiders The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. It's 1965 and Ponyboy Curtis belongs to a lower-class group of Oklahoma youths who call themselves greasers. Walking home from a movie, Ponyboy is attacked by a group of Socs (short for Socials), a rival gang that threatens to cut him. So begins an impactful tale by S.E. Hinton, who wrote this landmark work as a teen in Tulsa. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

October 15 Waddell & Reed Kansas City MarathonCrown Center Square. Races include a 26.2-mile marathon, 13.1-mile half marathon and 5K run/walk, all starting and ending at Crown Center Square, site of the finish line festival. 7:30 a.m. The Marathon Expo, no charge to the public, is held October 13-14 in the Crown Center Exhibit Hall at 2323 McGee. For registration information, visit KCMarathon.org.

November 1 - December 31 Seussical The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The plots of "Horton Hears a Who" and "Horton Hatches the Egg" are tunefully interwoven in this widely celebrated and critically acclaimed production. The Coterie was credited in The New York Times for originating this version "for all ages"... a true family classic!" Part of the Coterie's Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

November 3 Arrival of the Mayor's Christmas TreeCrown Center Square. The first sign of the holiday season arrives at Crown Center, the culmination of a journey from Oregon. The 100-foot-tall tree arrives at 9 a.m. on November 3 and is put into its stand at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday, November 4. 816-274-8444.

November 4 Crown Center Ice Terrace Opening DayCrown Center Square. Kansas City's only public outdoor ice skating rink opens for its 39th season of great skating fun. Enjoy complimentary skating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on opening day! Regular admission is $6, or complimentary for those over age 60 and children age 4 and under. Skate rental is $3, or skaters may bring their own. Hours through January: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday & Saturday. Hours during February and March: noon to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; noon to 11 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday. 816-274-8411. (The rink is open until March 18, 2012.)

November 4 - December 24 The Marvelous WonderettesAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Everyone wants the perfect prom night. But when the entertainment fails to show up for the 1958 Springfield High Prom, it's up to The Wonderettes to come through, with such hits as "It's My Party," "Alleghany Moon," "Dream Lover" and more. An unforgettable musical trip down memory lane for the whole family! 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

November 25 Santa's Arrival at Crown CenterCrown Center Shops, Grand Boulevard entrance. Santa Claus arrives in a horse-drawn carriage to kick off the holiday season. Perry the Penguin, Tip from Crayola® and other costume characters help greet Jolly Ol' St. Nick. Join Santa as he makes his way to Crayola Christmas Land, where he resides through December 24. No admission fee. 10 a.m. 816-274-8444.

November 25 Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyCrown Center Square. The 100-foot-tall Mayor's Christmas Tree, one of the nation's tallest, is the centerpiece for an illuminating holiday celebration. The tree is a symbol of the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund, which is dedicated to assisting the city's less fortunate. Program begins at 5:30 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

After the holidays, the wood from the Mayor's Christmas Tree is made into commemorative ornaments, which are sold the following year to benefit the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund.

November 25 - December 31 Santa's Crayola®Christmas LandCrown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. Children can play on super-sized Crayola® products, while waiting to tell Santa all their holiday wishes. Santa is in residence November 26 through December 24. The Crayola Christmas Land play area is open through December 31. No admission fee. Photos with Santa are available for a fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444.

November 25 - December 31 Santa's Gingerbread VillageCrown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Three locomotives travel through a Santa's gingerbread village in the North Pole, all created by the chefs at The Westin Crown Center and Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotels. See the reindeer stable, Santa's sleigh garage, the elves' dorm, a doll, rocking horse, and ball factory, and even Mr. & Mrs. Claus' home. No admission fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444.

November 28 - December 16 Weekday Holiday ChoirsCrown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Beautiful music fills the halls of Crown Center, as more than 130 area school, church and community choirs perform during weekday lunch hours and weekday evenings. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

December 1-18 "A Spectacular Christmas"Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Musical Theater Heritage, their holiday offering will feature a sackful of classic holiday songs. It is funny and heartfelt, sentimental and perfect for the family at Christmas time. This is an original show written by MTH that has a lot of fun with our best-loved local performers. Call 816-842-9999 or visit MTHKC.com for tickets.

December 3, 10, 17 Musical Fun For Kids Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Enjoy holiday music for kids and families on three Saturdays in December. Shows at noon and 2 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

January 6 - February 19, 2012 Beer For BreakfastAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. A world premiere. Four middle-aged buddies reunite for a "guy's weekend," complete with old music, cheap beer and enough cholesterol to stop Superman's heart. It's all going well until one of guys doesn't show up...but his wife does. Snowed in overnight, an epic struggle ensues: Will man be judged the superior sex or will woman prevail? Starring Kansas City favorites Cathy Barnett, Scott Cordes, Martin English and playwright Sean Grennan. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

January 24 - February 19, 2012 The Wrestling Season The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. With only a wrestling mat and a referee, eight teenagers struggle with how others see them and with the destructive power of rumors. Commissioned and premiered by the Coterie in 2000, it is one of the most important plays in the Coterie's history and more significant today than ever. After each performance, the referee guides the audience through a post-show forum. As the actors (in character) discuss their actions, audience members rank their behavior from most to least objectionable. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

February 22 - March 4, 2012 Freedom Sisters: Stamping, Shouting & Singing Home The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. It is 1950s America, the Deep South; a world on the verge of change but still tainted by everyday injustices and the remnants of slavery. "In my family there's dead people hopping in and out of the conversation all the time." One of those dead people is Lizzie's great-great-great grandmother Sojourner Truth, freedom fighter of slavery, whose voice could not be silenced. As Lizzie unpacks the past, she listens to Sojourner and, in the process, discovers her own voice...fearless, joyful, full of resolve. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

March 2 - April 15, 2012 The Importance of Being ErnestAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Currently a smash-hit on Broadway, AHT is delighted to bring Oscar Wilde's famous farce back to Kansas City. In this glorious comedy of mistaken identities, traditional rules of propriety and etiquette are mocked. It's a comedic masterpiece about class and name-dropping. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

April 10 - May 18, 2012 Fantastic Mr. Fox The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Roald Dahl's much-loved story about Mr. Fox-great husband, father and rogue-who tries to outwit the repulsive Boggis, Bunce and Bean, the nastiest and meanest three farmers you could ever meet. They join together to rid themselves of Mr. Fox, but things don't go exactly as planned. Lots of terrific tunnels and tabletop feasts in this tale that reminds everyone that greediness and selfishness are to be fought against. Part of the Coterie's Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

May 4 - June 17, 2012 As Long As We Both Shall Live- A Mystery FarceAmerican Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. A world premiere. Addison Ashe is smart. Like, insanely smart. She aced the SAT, mastered psychology, quantum and auto mechanics, mixed martial arts, yodeling and more-all in a matter of weeks. Despite all that, she's never had too much luck with guys...until now! She's set to marry the man of her dreams, but mysterious murders threaten to cancel their nuptials. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

May 9-10, 2012 Young Playwrights' Festival The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The Coterie's Young Playwrights' Festival features a collection of new work by the city's best young writers. The rich and varied theatrical writings which emerge from a year-long process are forged into an ambitious festival of script-in-hand stagings utilizing professional actors. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .

June 19 - August 5, 2012 Once Upon a Mattress The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Control-freak Queen Aggravain chases off her son's chances of finding a princess by creating unbeatable tests. Along comes klutzy Princess Winnifred (who swims the moat from the swamp) to set the Prince's heart aflame. So, the Queen plans her most difficult challenge yet. The palace is filled with merriment and mischief while everyone wonders if Princess "Fred" will pass the Queen's test. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Princess and the Pea." Part of the Coterie's Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org .